A Christmas Carol
by StarlightStudio
Summary: Follow the cast of PJO in the classic tale by Charles Dickens. Percabeth in the end and minor Thalico.
1. No More Merry Christmas

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol.**

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"What do you think you're doing?" I heard a voice yell from the other side of the room. Looking up, I saw a furious looking Percy, owner of our company, standing at the doorway. Everyone froze in there steps, scared. I sighed and thought of how this had all started…

"_Deck the halls with bells of holly," Silena Beaureguard, one of my coworkers started humming quietly the tune of the ever famous Christmas carol. Glancing over at the unusually beautiful employee, her husband, Charles Beckendorf started humming too. Soon, the rest of our little group, Travis, Conner, Katie, Pollux, Chris, and even grumpy Clarisse had erupted into the cheerful song._

"_Come on, Annabeth!" Lee Fletcher called out to me. I smiled and soon started belting out the carol like there was no tomorrow. Everyone had started dancing and working happily, since it was Christmas Eve. After all, that what friends do._

_The door suddenly slammed open._

I walked up the stairs to where a fuming Percy was standing.

"Percy, I'm sorry, we'll get back to working. We were just singing a little song." I was immediately cut off.

"There is no time to be singing songs! I don't pay you people to sing and dance! Since you're so arrogant, you'll have no holiday tomorrow. All of you will show up at eight o clock sharp, ready to work the entire day!" I cast a horrified glance his way. Murmurs and cries had begun from my coworkers.

"But what about Whillow?" Beckendorf asked nervously to Silena, referring to their baby daughter. I tugged Percy, making him face me.

"Percy, I understand that we did something wrong, but tomorrow is Christmas Day! You aren't actually going to cause misery for your employees, are you?"

"Annabeth, as my head employee and architect, I thought that of all people, you would know!" Still mad, he stormed off.

I sighed, and thought of why the old Percy, my childhood friend Percy had been taken away from me. At least I was able to tame his temper, but this time, I guess I just wasn't enough.

Walking nervously down the miniature stairs, I saw Silena crying.

"Annabeth, what are we going to do? Whillow isn't old enough to stay home by her self, and even with a babysitter, she'll know something's wrong." I shook my head, thinking about how I would still be alone with no one if I stayed home.

"I couldn't do anything about it."

We all went back to work, our happy moods ruined, the cheerful song we sang seeming like a millennia ago.

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**Rate and review (mainly review) please! PLEASE! This is only my second story and nobody's reviewed my first one. I'm gonna try to get the chapters longer than this first one, and I'm hoping to finish this story by Christmas.**

**If anyone likes the idea of using PJO characters as the characters in famous tales (like A Cinderella Story, Christmas Carol, etc.) I can, it'd be fun. Plus, it saves the time of figuring out a plot.**

**Review! (I'm begging you.)**


	2. An Old Friend Pays A Visit

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.**

**Please read the Authors Note at the bottom.**

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I slammed the door shut in Annabeth's face and marched briskly across the hallway. I honestly didn't mean to be so mean to the girl, she was actually a loyal employee, but singing and dancing during worktime? I scoffed. Fools. Just because it was stupid Christmas didn't mean that slacking was allowed. So I took away their holiday tomorrow. They shouldn't have gotten one anyways; Christmas Day is nothing.

Walking into the conference room, a two hour meeting awaited me.

* * *

When the meeting was finally over, I let out a big sigh and paced out the room so fast that I was gone before anybody could even say "good-bye".

Adjusting my suit, I took quick strides down the stairs and out my million dollar company, Oceanic Diamond Theatre's front glass doors.

Outside, the paved streets were overcrowded with people of all ages, rushing in and out of Louis Vuitton, Ferrero Rocher and designer stores, buying last minute Christmas-ugh-presents. Some people were just plain retarded and hanging out in the streets, decorating the big Christmas tree standing in the middle of it. Nasal laughs and screechy talking filled the air, and gave me a headache bigger than the original. I ran into one of the idiots hanging around the tree and glared at the girl with the best ice cold look I could give.

"Watch your step, would you? Some people actually have somewhere to go." Then I saw the girl and immediately softened up, but only just a tiny bit. It was Annabeth. She didn't look at all mad at my outbreak a few seconds ago, or even at my punishment a couple of hours ago. She just smiled at me earnestly with her big gray eyes, and that was enough to make me feel like a million dollars.

I shook my head. I must've taken too much Advil for that cold of mines.

"Oh, hey, Percy. Are you here to see the Christmas tree?" I did my best not to gag in front of her.

"I just gotta get home after a long day of work." I replied. An almost undetectable wave of sadness passed over her face.

"Oh, okay." She said with a less enthusiastic voice. She turned around to walk away. I sighed.

"Annabeth?" She turned back. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm also going to be working tomorrow for the full day, okay?" Her lips curved slightly at the edges, like she was trying to hold back a smile, even though I thought that my comment hadn't improved anything. Oh well, I shouldn't be doing that much for my workers, after all, they're employed to me.

I swivelled around and continued walking. The next time I bumped into someone, all I did was glare.

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"We are expecting a fresh layer of snow tonight, making this Christmas one of the prettiest and snowiest since thirteen years ago." The reporter on the Weather Channel announced, with an unnecessary beam on his face. I didn't get all the hype; idiots were marvelling over the fact that it'd be harder to get to work tomorrow. Plus, what had it even been like thirteen years ago? Hmm…

I just clicked the remote and left the screen. Finishing the rest of my already cold hot chocolate, I rinsed it in the sink. As the water bounced off the reflective, glassy structure, I could've sworn I saw some hazy thing behind me. Getting a little paranoid, I finished off my cleaning as fast as I could and was up the stairs in a snap.

I didn't even have to open the lights to my bedroom; I was already in my pajamas, and fully prepared to catch a good night of sleep. Still, the reflection thing bothered me a little. Must be the medicine. The medicine.

I realized I hadn't even taken my Advil yet, and that cold wasn't going to cure itself. Reaching into the drawer of my nightstand, I saw a person behind me in the mirror above it.

"AHHHHHH!" I screamed and whirled around. Expecting a murderer with a bloody knife, instead, I came face to face with my deceased stepfather, Gabe. It scared my just as much.

"Percy, what are you doing?" His voice sounded just the same as it had the second before he died.

"H-how can y-y-you-" "be possibly here?" he finished my question for me.

"I am a spirit of the dead, Percy. I am allowed to visit you, but only once in a while when it's very important. I was that haze you saw in the glass reflection." Before I could ponder on that, I noticed the floating chains clasped around both of his wrists and ankles. I frowned.  
"What are those?" I asked.

"That is my punishment. I am only allowed to visit people within a certain radius. That's why I had to wait for you to get home from your fancy job."

I stuck my chin in to the air. "A very important and high-class job." Gabe sighed.

"You want to know why I'm being punished even after I'm dead? Because I did some really bad things while I was alive, Percy. I was cruel and evil and-" "But that's how life works! You even said it yourself: You can't think about others in business, you just have to trample them down until you can get to the top." Gabe sighed.

"I was too late to realize that life is more than just the fame, money and power." He looked at me with sharp eyes that bore into me, like he had been watching every step I took since he passed away.

"Percy, you must know that from now on, you have to stop acting this cruel, or you are going to ruin your entire life. It's just not the right thing."

"I do not understand what you are trying to say." Gabe sighed again.

"I have a perfect life now, and it definitely will only get better in the future. I do not intend to change any of my habits; there's no problem with them." Gabe looked at me.

"I'm going to be sending three spirits to you tonight. It is my only hope that they can help you change into a better person." Before I could retort, Gabe's spirit disappeared in a poof of haze, and I was left sitting on my bed as if nothing had happened at all.

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**Thank you SO MUCH to soccerbabe33 for writing the first review I ever got! It means a lot to me, and I'll definetely be following you!**

**Again, please, can more and some different people review? I'll appreciate it a lot. Some constructive critiscm please!**


	3. How It Started

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.**

**Please read Authours Note at bottom.**

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I stared at the spot that Gabe had just vanished from. It was hard to believe that after all that he had done that he would just suddenly switch full gear. Although I had based all my mottos after his, all my respect had just died right there, right then. There was nothing in the world worth caring or loving for. Especially what had happened thirteen years ago.

Rubbing my eyes, I looked over at the clock; how long had I been just sitting, pondering? Apparently, I had been thinking for too long. I heard a sigh from beside me and realized that I wasn't alone in my bed.

"AAAAA-" I was cut off mid-sentence.

"Yeah, yeah, I already saw what you did when you saw Gabe. No need to scream at me." I squinted and the misty form of a teenage boy appeared in front of me.

Another stupid spirit.

I could make out his shaggy raven hair, falling over his foreheads and touching the top of his obsidian coloured eyes. His olive skin glowed almost white under the pure moonlight. It took me a second before who he was fully registered in my memory.

"Cousin Di Angelo." I said bluntly.

He snorted. "Just call me Nico, will ya? Please." He emphasized the _please_, as if his whole sake depended on it.

"What're you doing here?" He looked at me as if I were stupid.

"I thought that Gabe would've already told you." I frowned.

"I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past." My frown deepened.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Nico sighed again.

"Along with the two other Christmas ghosts, I appear every Christmas Eve to teach-" He cleared his throat. "-ungrateful, pitiless people some lessons."

I narrowed my eyes. "First of all, you have no right to be calling me those things. Secondly, I do not need you to teach me 'lessons' like I'm still in elementary school math class." Nico's lips slowly turned upwards into something that looked like a smirk.

"Oh no, I won't be teaching you lessons that way." He said slyly.

My eyes narrowed. "Then how will you be?" I asked warily.

Nico smirked again. "I must first say that in the end, you will end up learning the lesson by yourself.

"But if you want to see how I'll be helping now," he exhaled dramatically.

"Then be it."

The world started spinning around me and I was thrown off my bed. I heard Nico chanting something weird in a different language, and my vision blurred before I passed out.

* * *

When I came to consciousness, I was lying on cold, hard concrete, expect I couldn't feel the coldness, despite the fact that there were kilometres of snow all around me. Plus, I was wearing only my pajamas. My gaze focused on Nico, who had materialized beside me. I got up.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Shouldn't you know by now?" He raised an eyebrow.

I looked around, and realized, sickeningly, that I did.

In what seemed to be in the middle of a countryside was a tiny little log cabin. Outside, it was well into the night-time, fresh snow layered the ground, and it seemed bleary, even with the constellations twinkling in the night sky. But inside the old wooden cabin, a freshly baked batch of cookies were laid on the table, photos and vintage furniture littered the room, and the hearth fire burned so bright that I could feel the warmth from all the way over here.

I scowled. "Yes. I do."

"Do you know why I brought you to Christmas Eve, thirteen years ago?" Nico asked softly.

"You shouldn't have. It's a memory that I never should've had to remember again." I replied harshly.

"I will come back later. But you must know that there is a reason that you're here. Go up to the house. Right now, nobody can see you."

"But I don't want or need to go up there."

"Yes you do." Nico said with more force. "And when I come back, I expect you to have done what I asked you to do." And then, with a wave of his hand, he vanished.

* * *

Stupid Nico. But he was a special spirit, and he'd probably do something bad to me if I didn't go up the to stupid house.

Taking hesitant steps, I walked across the snow without any traces of my steps or noise. When I reached the worn down front door, I had no idea what to do. In the end, I decided to peek in through the window. I knew vaguely what I was going to see, but witnessing what happened that night for the second time in my life still made me catch my breath in my throat.

Sitting on the rocker chair that was too big for him was a roughly nine-year-old boy. His hair was the same colour as Nico's, and styled the same way, but shorter. He had fair skin, and his big sea-green eyes twinkled with different shades of blue and happiness. Along with the wide smile that was plastered to his face, he practically glowed.

He reached for a cookie, stretching to get it just as a girl the same age stepped in. Her strawberry blond hair was curled and put in two cute little pigtails, which complimented her gray eyes. She sported a red velvet Christmas dress, and her face immediately lit up when the boy accidentally fell over trying to get the cookie. She ran over to help him, and they both ended up on the floor, laughing.

"You could've gotten out of the chair to reach the food, Percy." The girl said between giggles.

"Aw, but I didn't want to keep climbing on and off the big chair." Percy whined.

"Well at least you can get a cookie now. I want one too." As both Percy and the girl started munching on a cookie and talking, they started laughing again as well, spraying cookie crumbs across the floor. Their laughing immediately deceased as soon as a man with a frown walked in.

"Um, stepfather. W-We were just-" "I know what you were doing, brat." He turned to glower at the girl. She cowered in fear.

"And you, um" "Annabeth." "Yes, whatever Annabeth. You're leaving. Now." Annabeth looked more than happy to leave, but glanced at Percy worriedly before scampering out.

"Why were you laughing?" Percy's stepfather hissed.

"It's Christmas, stepfather! It's a happy time of year! We can have fun and give presents to others and-" "Foolish ideas, Percy! You should be ashamed of yourself for even thinking for a second about those idiotic things!" Percy's stepfather spat. Percy backed up against the wall.

"I don't care about Christmas anymore. Being nice and loving will get you nowhere in life. You have to care about no one. Trample others underneath your feet. All that matters is you. You hear me?" He stuck his ugly face in front of Percy's and jeered menacingly.

"Y-Yes, stepfather." Percy whispered.

"Gabe, are you coming to help me in the kitchen?" A woman's muffled voice sounded from somewhere else in the cabin.

"Yeah, yeah, coming Sally." With one last disapproving look, Gabe sauntered out of the room to the kitchen.

After he had left, Percy was still huddled up in the corner of the room. It was not until Annabeth returned that he hastily stood up. She managed a weak smile.

"Percy, I saw him leave so I came in. Would you like to-" "No." Percy replied coldly without even listening to what the question was. Annabeth had a look of hurt on her face.

"But, I just wanted to-" "Leave me alone, okay?" Percy shouted into her face before storming out the front door. Annabeth blinked back tears as she hung her head and pulled a delicate little box from her pocket.

"Merry Christmas."

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I pulled back from the window, still in a daze. The wintery scene before me seemed too surreal. I blinked but my vision still remained foggy. I then saw Nico materialize beside me.

"You are quite reasonable, Percy. You actually did as told." Nico said. I regained my senses.

"What was all that for anyways?" I spat at him. He studied me.

"I see this has not been enough to change you. Ah well." He glanced up at the night sky as if it was a clock. "She'll be here soon though."

"Who?" I demanded. Nico merely smiled.

"I'm afraid my share of time with you is up. Be good, Percy, and farewell."

"What are you talking abo-" Before I could even finish my sentence, the same thing that happened to me when I got here happened again. This time, I shut my eyes, and when I felt like I was no longer travelling through time, I opened them. Nico was nowhere beside me.

I was back in my bed.

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**THANK YOU! OMG 4 NEW REVIEWS SINCE THE LAST TIME I CHECKED! I just wanted to say thanks for the constructive critiscm; there was one person who gave a lot (you know who you are :D ) and a lot of people who asked for a longer chapter (one person said at least 1000 words), so I tried to make a longer chapter. If you feel it is still too rushed, please tell me.**

**Also, send in predictions to who you think the next guest character (like Nico) will be!**

**Rate and Review, and thank you!**


	4. In The Name Of Relatives

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol**

**Please read Authour's Note at bottom.**

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"UGH!" I squeezed my eyes shut and flopped down on my bed. After that scene, I seriously did not want to be bothered anymore. Exhaling, I thought about the extra part of the scene that I had not seen when I was nine. I had said that I would never ever care again, but seeing Annabeth look that dejectedly had almost-almost-made me regret it.

And if that wasn't enough, Nico had said something about her coming soon. Who the heck was this "her" that Nico had been talking about anyways? If she was another ghost, I would definitely not let her manipulate me like a certain Ghost of Christmas Past.

Thunder rumbled quietly in the distance. I frowned in my "sleep". The weather forecast had said nothing about a thunderstorm happening. Plus, I had large windows and I could even hear the slightest bit of rain pit-pattering against them. Suddenly, a flash of lightning blinded me even with my eyes closed tightly. I shuffled around in my bed, and even though there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, I felt a bit uneasy.

Rolling over to my side, I opened my eyes a slit and peeked at my clock. Its power was completely out. I figured it was probably from the lightning. Opening my eyes a bit more, I rolled over onto my back again. I found a teenage girl leaning over me, her face inches from mine.

My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to scream when the girl clamped her right hand over it. I guessed she had come prepared. I bolted upright, but the girl was faster, and she quickly leapt out of the way. I moved away from her and pressed myself against the bed post as I narrowed my eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked. It must've been a stupid question, for the girl grunted impatiently and rolled her eyes with an attitude that I had seen before. Yeah. I had seen her before.

She had the same black hair as me, except hers was spiky, and highlighted a bright fuchsia colour. Her skin tone was in between Nico and mines and she still had those electric blue eyes that she had the last time I saw her. Even though she was dead, there was no way I could have ever forgotten Thalia Grace. A look of recognition probably passed over my face.

"Nice to see you too, cousin." She said matter-of-factly. It was then that I realized what she was wearing.

Instead of her usual punk-rocker chic get-up, she was instead wearing a flowing, silver and baby-pink silk dress that shimmered different colours under the moonlight. Her usually freestyle hair was straightened, and a silver diamond encrusted barrette was pinned to it. She looked pretty uncomfortable wearing such a girly outfit, but at least she wasn't wearing makeup.

"Do you know why I'm here?" She said it like she was bored, or, more like she was expecting me to already know.

"You're another Christmas of whatever ghost thingy." I said, laying on the mockery thick. Then I realized that when she had clamped her hand over my mouth, I hadn't actually felt it, but I had stopped screaming because of my instincts.

She looked at me with a bit of distaste.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present, Percy."

"Whatever. Doesn't change anything does it? Now, why?" Thalia regarded me with a look I didn't recognize.

"You know that you and Nico have always been my best friends. I just don't want you to be like this." I almost screamed in exasperation.

"There's nothing wrong with me! I don't get why you guys are all like this." I slapped the blanket I just felt like I needed to hit something.

"I can get why Nico would be like this. Percy, even though Nico seems like the person that cares the least out of all of us before you…he actually would hate it if something happened to either one of us more than you would know. Well, I actually know now." I could've sworn she blushed.

"What do you mean?" I scrunched up my eyebrows.

"We're dating." She said matter-of-factly. Now I was confused.

"But you're cousins." She rolled her eyes.

"Uncle Hades was the adopted brother of Uncle Poseidon, and my daddy, Zeus. Our dads excluded him a lot, which was kind of mean, but it's not like we had any blood relation anyways. Plus, that boy has one of the best fashion senses there is out there." Now that was Thalia-like.

"Kinda like how they didn't even ever give him a chair at the family dining table." Thalia nodded.

"And when Uncle Hades and his business left, well, it was a downfall, and we're still in a bit of debt." I didn't respond to that.

"You see what happens when people are mean, Percy?" I snarled at her. She sighed.

"Well, let's lessen the chit-chat, and I'll get on with what I'm actually supposed to do." She snapped her fingers and a short, lightning-bolt shaped staff appeared in her hands. Immediately, I shut my eyes. Instead, I heard her say "Oh, no, we're not time travelling." Confused, I re-opened my eyes. With a wave of her hand, we appeared in the middle of a small, olden-times looking village.

"Time-travelling is much harder than just regular transporting. Poor Nico, that's why he's always so tired." I must've been turned into a spirit again, for a person walked straight through me.

"I'm the Ghost of Christmas _Present_, Percy." She chuckled.

I looked around and realized that although it was already dark, the village was brightly lit up by streetlights and multi-coloured Christmas lights. It was around eight o clock or so; I hadn't realized that I had gone to bed so early.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another one of my childhood friends, Grover. He had successfully bloomed in the environmental activist industry, and he was currently proposing to his girlfriend, Juniper, whom he had met on a business trip. Grover opened the top of a red velvet box, and produced a magnificent diamond ring. Juniper gasped as she accepted the ring and put it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. I turned back to Thalia.

"I already went through this with Nico. You can leave now." She didn't look hurt at all, even though I had told her off with a lot of rudeness.

"I'm not leaving this time. You'll probably have some questions. Don't worry, I'll be inconspicuous." And with that, she adjusted her form, and became translucent, looking like mist. I sighed.

"Just tell me, who we are spying on this time." I took another swift glance around the village. It seemed like a place where the poor people would live. I scrunched up my nose. Thalia moved to my left, and I almost didn't notice until she started speaking again.

"Her." She nodded her head towards a person standing a good distance in front of me. It was Annabeth. My look of pure disgust got even greater.

"Why are we looking at her again?" I retorted. Thalia eyed me.

"You'll see." And then she moved behind me. I focused my attention on Annabeth, and the conversation she was having with a middle-aged woman that looked like she was a mother. There were two kids flopping around in the snow, and they were standing in front of what I assumed was a disgraceful imitation of a house. Unlike mine.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, but I have somewhere very important to get to. I cannot stay here, although I wish I could." Annabeth was saying. I snorted.

"_I wish I could_," I mimicked. "She's just using another way to say I've got to leave this dump. Where are you going now Annabeth? Probably a fancy event aren't you?"

"Percy, shush." Thalia whispered from behind me. Reluctantly, I became quiet for just a while longer. There was nothing interesting about this. Just a few more minutes and I'd be outta here. But then Annabeth did something that surprised me.

She was trudging away from the village, but instead to another building that was part of it. She ended up in front of one of the worst-looking buildings; a battered up structure that was slightly bigger than a house, with a sign that said 'Sunshine Meadows Orphanage' on it. Mother Nature had obviously taken its toll on it. But, seriously, Sunshine Meadows? Who created these vomit-provoking names? Just then, a five-year old girl ran out of the orphanage door, and into Annabeth.

"Annabeth!" The little girl squealed.

"Jessiline! How've you been. You've been keeping an eye on Jesse for me, haven't you? You know how your brother can get sometimes." She walked hand and hand with Jessiline back into the orphanage.

As if in a trance, I slowly walked in the door too, and I didn't even care if Thalia followed me.

The inside of the house was no better than the outside, but the decorations, along with the glittering lights and extravagant Christmas tree, couldn't help but make you smile. Annabeth constantly played with the kids, and helped with who I guessed was the orphanage owner, and she looked more genuinely happy than I'd ever seen her.

For well over an hour, I watched as orphans, who had absolutely nothing in the world, smiled like there was no tomorrow, and participated joyfully in games and activities. I realized that Annabeth was wearing a dress that looked really bad, even though it was Christmas, and even Thalia was wearing a good dress. It then dawned on me that this was the best that Annabeth could afford. I swallowed with my dry throat.

When the celebrations were finally over, I merely stood there as the orphans went to bed, and Annabeth walked right through me. She was now pulling an old red wagon full of bags. A trail of orphans kids followed behind her, one of whom was Jessiline. An older boy was carrying a lantern. They were beaming as they walked through the street, handing out the bags to one person from each house. I later saw that they were of Christmas goods. Once the parade was over, Annabeth left, and I was standing alone until Thalia materialized into her full form beside me.

"You see?" She said quietly.

I gulped. "That's what she does every Christmas." Something hit me. This was what the spirit of Christmas was supposed to mean. But I…

"Thalia, take me home." She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Percy-" "I know, I know, okay? Doesn't mean I have _be_ like Annabeth. Now take me home." With a wave of her hand, I was home, sitting on my bed, alone. I heard faint voices coming from nowhere.

_-our only hope now…_

_

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**Thank you guys who reviewed for all the constructive critiscm and support! To the people who guessed Thalia as the Christmas spirit, good for you! Now I want you to guess who the Ghost of Christmas Future is! :)**

**Rate and review please! Thanks!**


	5. A Gaze Into The Crystal Ball

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.**

**Please read Authour's Note at bottom.**

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Qswesdrcfvygbnimo. That was what was going on in my mind as I sat on my bed. This time, I didn't even bother to lie down on my king-sized bed and pretend like nothing had happened. I just hugged my knees to my chest and stared off into space, waiting for the next dead person to come torture me. I thought about what I had heard the voices say:

_-our only hope now…_

Who had said that anyways? It had sounded almost identical to the voices of Thalia and Nico, except a bit ghostlier. And if they were the Christmas Past and Present spirits, then were they sending me a future ghost? Arrogant love birds.

Ever since they had whispered that half-sentence, the air in the room had suddenly felt like it dropped ten degrees. My window was open, but it hadn't been before Thalia poofed me away. The winter wind of Christmas Eve usually felt cooling, but now it just felt vulgar, and the usually pretty lights had turned unbearably cold and harsh. Had my room always been this dark?

I took a glance at my clock; it had its power back. I figured that it probably must've shut off before because of Thalia's electric (literally) entrance. It read exactly twelve o clock, midnight. Outside, the church bells rang twelve sharp times. Right after the twelfth chime, a black figure appeared in my room.

He was cloaked black from head to toe, a pretty un-Christmas like outfit. As soon as he pushed back his hood, I gasped; this was one face I could never forget.

"Luke." I had just seen Annabeth give out gifts to the poor and become Mother Christmas, but nothing could stop me from saying the name with pure disgust.

Luke had been one of the most successful business entrepreneurs, but he had later been revealed of being a "financial criminal". He had blackmailed many people, abused his own company, and robbed several high-class businesses to get to the top. A year after he had fallen a horrible industrial death, he was found dead, the reason by assassination.

He smiled an almost melancholy smile.

"Percy, what are you doing?" That was exactly what Gabe had said to me first thing, but it sounded a million times different coming from Luke.

"Thinking about Gabe?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Oh, so now you can read minds, eh?" He shrugged nonchanantly.

"No, I just know based from experience." He looked me straight in the eye, and coming from him, it looked much more threatening than from Nico, even scary Thalia.

"You know my story." He said in a dark tone, his eyes glazing over, like remembering a horrible child memory.

"I was just like you. I'm now under worse punishment than Gabe, and I realized my mistakes just before I killed myself." I started to say something, but he cut me off. "No, it wasn't an assassination. I was carried to my suicide by my own greed, jealously and hatred. Aren't you angry that you never got a Christmas ever again from the time that you were nine years old?" I stared out the window.

"I don't it to happen to you. So Thalia, Nico and I have decided to send you one more person. You have one more chance to change yourself, Percy." And with that, he disappeared.

I leaned back on my bed's backboard. Looking at the clock, it read eleven hours, fifty-nine minutes. Wait, but Luke arrived at midnight. That was strange. It was as if he had never been here, like time had just ignored him.

The church bells chimed once again, but this time, right after the first gong, a figure zipped in through the window as fast as light and landed on the floor. I leapt out of my bed and ran to the person's side.

The girl was wearing a dove-coloured ruffled tank top, despite the freezing weather, and waist-high black silk trousers, with a fairly high, black pump on one foot and a cream pink ballet flat on the other. Her blazing fiery hair was pulled into a high ponytail and looked like it was curled. The faint scent of hairspray lingered around her. It wasn't until I saw her freckle-spotted face and signature grin that I recognized her.

"Percy!" Rachel leapt up to hug and passed right through me, falling to the floor and through it. She appeared a second later.

"Boy, travelling makes me so tired, and I need enough sufficient energy to keep opaque."

"Thalia and Nico weren't this tired." She snorted.

"I know. Nico gets to shadow-travel, Thalia gets to enter with almost as much theatricality as her dramatic dad, and I have to use mortal transportation; flying."

"But humans can't fly." She shook her head.

"No, but when we refer to anything mortal in our realm, it means the method that is the most energy-wasting." Her face quickly became serious.

"Back to subject matter. Luke already came here right?" I nodded.

"And he sent me you, the-" "ghosty thing for Christmas, yeah, I did my homework about you Percy."

"I was going to say Ghost of Christmas Future." Rachel looked surprised.

"I see Thalia did her job," she muttered. "And I'm the Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come." She cracked a smile, but it quickly turned into a mischievous grin.

"You know what that means?" I'd never seen Rachel so creepy. I didn't know whether to nod or shake my head.

"It means that tonight, you're getting a sneak peek of your future. How do I know your future? Cause I'm the almighty Oracle. Just kidding. But I am special, and you're one of my childhood friends." She slapped a hand to her chest when she said 'Oracle', and I began to wonder if Zeus and Thalia were more dramatic, or Rachel. But that was the preppy Rachel that defined herself from other people and made her unique.

"Nico and Thalia just got you prepared. Usually, I'm the one who gets the job done. That's why I'm always last. Too bad all our paychecks are the same. I'm just kidding, we don't get paychecks, this is eternal volunteer work. But if we did have paychecks, which we should, then I'd so make sure that I'd get the highest pay." I wondered if she ever breathed and if she was going to be kidding about everything.

"What do you mean by you 'always get the job done'?" I felt nervous inside, but years of training had allowed my voice to remain calm.

Rachel sighed, and her eyes wandered off into an unknown place, somewhere in the distance, like the look Luke had; like she had seen too much in her life.

"The future is usually the most horrible thing that most people see, and it usually changes them." Rachel hesitated when she said 'usually'. I turned my shoulder to her.

"Definitely not me." I said with defiance. Rachel raised an eyebrow at me.

"Ten bucks?" She asked bluntly.

"Hmph. I have enough money to spare a measly ten dollars." Rachel regarded me with a fake calm look. I could almost see her worried look behind her mask, and her form shaking.

"Percy," she cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the miniscule trembling. "I think you should rethink those words. Especially after what we're about to see. It's time I show you your future." She said it like a death sentence. Then the weirdest thing happened.

She opened her mouth a tiny bit, like she was going to inhale deeply, but instead, a rather pretty looking green mist billowed out of her mouth. It trailed the floor and started swirling into a big, translucent wall. I ruled down what was happening: Either Rachel was really, really "special", or she had a really bad dinner.

She closed her mouth, but the mist just stayed in its place and continued swirling. She looked at me.

"What're you waiting for?" I stared at her intensely with "HUH?" written all over my face. She seemed to comprehend my confusion.

"This is the ancient way fo time travelling. Nico just likes to use the modern method." I nodded.

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Gulping, I nodded at her.

"Um, ladies first." Rachel snorted.

"My breath isn't contagious, Percy. But fine. Come on." She hopped off the edge of my bed and I warily followed her into the mist.

What I had to admit was that time travelling inside the green mist was much better than time travelling with the modern method that Nico used. I'd have to mention that to him the next time I saw him, if I ever saw him again.

We were just taking your average stroll-through-green-breath-like-it's-the-park, when we stepped out, into the future; _in the middle of the night sky_.

Damn.

I was too scared to even scream as Rachel and I plummeted through layers and layers of clouds, about to drop to our death. I didn't even have time to worry if I was going to crash into one of Thalia's dad's Olympus Zeus Airline airplanes. He would never let me live it down; but then again, I was his least favourite nephew.

We were nearing the city now, and I was ready to go ker-splat! when Rachel and I ker-splatted through the ground. We plunged into darkness, and I flailed my limbs around, but it was like flailing in thick water. Suddenly, I was propelled towards the surface, and I popped out, Rachel dragging me.

"Boy, at least falling like that doesn't hurt." She said, wiggling her arms.

I was too focused on my surroundings. Reading the signs, it said that we were on Delphi Street, in the middle of a city called Half-Blood Hill, and I realized that this was the exact same street that my business was on. But looking around, I saw that there was no Oceanic Diamond Theatre, my prestigious performing arts hall. I frowned.

"Not finding your company?" Rachel asked. I nodded, a scowl still on my face.

"This is the future. My business should be even bigger than it is now!" I exclaimed. Rachel cleared her throat and walked towards me.

"I'll direct you to what I'm going to be showing you tonight, but you might not fully understand everything. If you have any questions just ask." I opened my mouth to ask when Rachel answered "It is December 24, 2016. Christmas Eve."

"That's starting to get creepy." She just shrugged.

"Now, the person we're going to be watching is-" "Annabeth?" I guessed. Rachel gaped a bit. I just shrugged.

Pointing me over to the left, I saw a company bigger than the others on the street, one that wasn't here back in the present, 2010. Elegant script decorated the entrance, bold, big and elaborate. It read _Divine Owl Architecture Group._ Just underneath its sign were large, glass revolving doors, the expensive type. The building itself was around ten large stories tall, and looked like this architecture group thingy had designed it itself.

On the first floor, two large wall-sized windows flanked the revolving doors, each display case filled with computer-generated future designs for the state and country and elegant mini-models. Since the models were not so large, you could see the workers, dressed in suits, running around, frantically trying to get the work done before they got to go home. They looked almost…_scared_.

The inside had an even more elaborate finish that the outer exterior. A big crystal chandelier hung in the massive, tall main hallway, corridors leading to every place possible. Walking up to one of the windows, I saw a middle-aged woman, furiously lecturing a worker. She was so loud, with her back to me, that I could even hear here of the Christmas traffic.

"You are not leaving these are finished! You hear me? Imbecile." She muttered as the worker hurried off. She turned around and I gasped.

She was Annabeth, radiating pure evil, but it was Annabeth alright. She had the same distinct features, but you could tell that she had grown over the past six years. She still had the same blond curls that framed what had changed the most about her; her look. Her eyes were narrowed constantly, piercing into you, and her lips would always curl into a snarl at the slightest thing. Looking at her uniform, I saw her name tag: _Annabeth Chase, CEO Divine Owl Architecture Group._

Annabeth was the owner of one of the most prestigious companies out there right now. She had power, authority, and was definitely rich. And she was like this.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a dirty-smock covered figure walk into the lobby. The person was limping, and the clothes worn didn't look very warming. When the person spoke, I recognized it as a male voice. It was raspy and tired, like he hadn't eaten in days. Annabeth immediately gargled with disgust. Then she backtracked a bit. A smirk played on her lips.

"Oh, it's you." She said.

"Annabeth, could I please have a place to stay tonight?" Annabeth's shrill and cold laughter immediately filled the room. She raised her arms and dropped them down again.

"Why in Hades would I let you stay here?" She wiped a few tears of laughter away.

"Annabeth, you used to be so kind. Wh-what happened to you?" She turned around, her arms outstretched towards her extravagant interior.

"I own the biggest business in the state now. I have everything, money, fame, power! I have much more to do than just wait around for peasants to come in here! I couldn't even care less!" She spat out the last sentence, and her cruel laughter echoed down the hallway along with her stilettos as she left.

The man, turned around, and I was about to faint right there, right then.

The figure was me.

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**Thank you everyone for the reviews! The next chapter will most likely be the last, just to let you know.**

**Since so many people guessed Luke as the spirit, I just had to put him in, but not as the actual spirit. I hope you get that Rachel was the future spirit cause she is the oracle and stuff.**

**After this story, I'm probably going to delete my other story and create a new one, using the PJO characters in a movie/story instead of the actual characters. I was thinking of unaccompainied minors, but another person is already doing that, and it's pretty good. Here are some ideas that people can vote on:**

**1. Home Alone**

**2. Miracle on 34th Street**

**If anybody has any other suggestions, please tell me!**

**Rate and review! Thanks!**


	6. My Old Christmas Comes Back

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol**

**This is officially the last chapter of A Christmas Carol! I'm sad :(**

**Please read Authour's Notes at bottom.**

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For the first time, the spirit that had transported me back to my bedroom stayed with me afterwards. Rachel perched on the edge of my bed while I subconsciously paced back and forth across the bedroom.

"You see what can happen to people Percy?" Out of all the times that I had heard that, this was the first time that I paid attention to it.

In my mind, every horrible thing I had ever done played back in my mind. I didn't even know that I remembered those moments; it just all came flashing back to me:

Starting from the time that I had broken Annabeth's heart the first Christmas Eve that I had turned evil, to the next Christmas where I started not believing anymore. I recalled not paying Beckendorf for a month because he hadn't showed up for work when Silena was giving birth to Whillow. And also, a while back, when I had humiliated Clarisse and Chris in front of the entire company.

I gulped. Why hadn't I realized my mistakes, my terrible mistakes, before? I couldn't just let this go without doing anything. I was going to change.

I would make sure that I'd be like Annabeth and unlike a Christmas Grinch. Rachel must've read my face or emotions or something creepy like that.

"Percy, look at the clock." I glanced over, but before I could comprehend the numbers, I realized something else. Sunlight was steaming through the windows.

Running over, I hastily pushed aside the curtains. A fresh batch of dove white snow blanketed the ground. Frost covered the windows, but the sunny sky made the mood feel happy instead of sad. Except for me.

It was Christmas Day, and by now, all my workers were probably up, preparing to leave for work and arrive before I could punish them.

No. I am never going to do idiotic things like that again. I looked at Rachel, who now looked much more see-through under bright light. I ran over to my walk-in closet and started taking out clothes.

"Percy?" Rachel frowned.

"I need to get to work quickly." Rachel must've understood what I said, in the right way, for she nodded and then stared at me intently. I stopped putting on my socks and held her gaze. She broke out into a grin. She started fading, and just before she fully did, her ghostly voice echoed across my room, saying "I'm glad you're back, Percy." This time, her voice didn't sound cold, it sounded hopeful, like the sun of tomorrow.

I snapped out of my daze and continued dressing. I ran around my walk-in closet. It was way too big to find anything. I'd have to make an adjustment once I got the time.

Racing downstairs, I stepped out of the front door and got hit in the face by a blast of freezing air. Shivering, I slipped on a warmer jacket and walked back outside, less cold. I stopped in my tracks when I reached my car.

Now, don't get me wrong; there was absolutely nothing wrong with my Ferrari, but it was the middle of winter. More importantly, it was Christmas Day, and I just didn't feel like riding around in a bright red convertible. Instead, I decided that I was going to walk to work. It was only a brisk stroll down my street and then a short hike up Delphi Street. Besides, it would be crowded on that business-crowded road anyways.

Little snow devils threatened to freeze up my face and fingers, but it really wasn't that bad after a few minutes. Walking was so much more…relaxing.

I turned onto Delphi Street, and continued my peaceful stride. Accidentally bumping into someone, I apologized and noticed the store that I was standing in front of: Hephaestus Forges, the best toymaker company in the entire state. It was known across the country for being so diverse in its creation and its beautiful, detailed compositions. Getting an idea, I walked in.

I looked at my watch: 9:30. I was half an hour late for work. I stared at my watch until I broke out into a smile. Being late just once wasn't going to do me any harm.

After my visit to Hephaestus Forges, I had taken many other detours, including a little trip to Demeter's Garden, a floral nursery that I had never actually gone into before until now. One store I had recognized was Dionysus Winery, the store that I always went to when I needed wine for a formal party.

By the time all my mini trips were over, I was outside the doors of my company, Oceanic Diamond Theatre, at exactly 10:00. As I made my way through the revolving doors, a mob of people swarmed me, asking me frantic questions about what to do, and why I had shown up late. They suddenly all stopped talking.

Then again, seeing your boss and CEO wearing an oversized orange jacket, warm sweats, rubber boots, with a truckload of bags wasn't exactly a sight for sore eyes either.

I shrugged nonchalantly and one bag fell. I picked it up. _Oh, yeah I do this every day._

"My suit was at the dry cleaners." I said and then left. As I climbed up the stairs, I chuckled.

I was never at the dry cleaners.

When I walked into the worn-down warehouse that I made my employees work in, the first thing I thought about was how I was going to refurnish the place, and what Hestia's Home Helpers phone number was. I almost didn't notice everyone staring at me. I grinned at them.

"Miss me?" Silena looked ready to faint.

"P-Percy, um, you're, uh, kinda late." She squeaked out the last two words.

"You guys should all be at home, not here." Annabeth almost passed out.

"Percy, w-what are you saying." I sighed.

"Look guys, I realize that I've done really bad things in the past. I punish you guys for the stupidest things, and I'm taking everything for granted. That shouldn't be the way I live my life. And I shouldn't be treating you guys like this. You guys need to immediately go home and not think about coming to work until next week, after New Years Eve." Annabeth lips slowly curled into smile, and she looked like she had tears in her eyes.

"But boss-" "Percy." I corrected.

"But Percy, I don't mean to be pushy, but don't we get our paychecks next week?" Beckendorf asked.

I grinned. "No worries, everyone will get their pays in the mail. Just consider this vacation pay." Beckendorf beamed at me, and I realized that his grandfather was the founder of Hephaestus Forges, but because he had sold it earlier to a non-family relative, they had fired Beckendorf. I was determined to make sure he had just as much fun working for me. Remembering something, I dropped all my bags and pulled out the one from Hephaestus Forges.

Descending the stairs, I handed the bag to Silena and Beckendorf.

"I've done many horrible things to everyone in this room in the past. To try and make up for it, I got you guys all something, as a Christmas gift." Silena pulled out a toy train system from the big bag.

"Give that Whillow, will you?" I asked. Both got tangled up in their "thank yous" and bows. I told them I no longer needed them to do that.

I walked around the room, handing out gifts: Running shoes from France, Italy, and China to Travis, Conner, and Chris from Hermes Travel. Pollux received a fine bottle of wine from Dionysus Wine because I heard that he was a legendary drinker; he could last out the longest before getting drunk. Katie got a fresh flower bouquet from Demeter's Garden, which she sniffed dreamily, and Clarisse cackled evilly when I handed her a red and bronze fencing weapon from Ares Weaponry, for her fencing and sword-fighting competitions.

Everyone was chattering happily when I got to the last person: Annabeth. Of all the presents I could've gotten her, and all the stores I could've gone to, the one I did go to was one of the places that I still found a bit repulsive; Aphrodite's Beauty.

I handed Annabeth a small velvet box, which she slowly opened. She gasped as she saw what was inside, before I could even see it. But I knew what was inside. Her eyes widened as she slipped out a pair of small, diamond owl earrings. They glittered in the sunlight, but when she put them on, I found that she didn't need them; she was pretty without it. Nonetheless, she looked like she had just won a million dollars.

Leaping up, she hugged me, and then placed a kiss on my cheek, one of the last things I expected.

"The Percy I knew all those years is finally back" she said with a sparkle in her eyes. Then she leaned over the stairwell and called to everyone.

"Hey, guys, lets go outside!" I couldn't help smiling as we got outside. The fresh winter wind felt cooling, but not cold. The big Christmas tree still blocked the entire street, and it was fully light up, like yesterday night.

Though there weren't as many people crowded as there was last night, it still was enough people to create a lively scene. I felt Annabeth's hand slip into mines as she admired the Christmas tree.

Whenever people passed me, they always startled me, because they were always people I knew. A woman who looked like my mother Sally smiled earnestly at me, and I saw Luke, who cracked a grin. To the side of the Christmas tree, I saw three other people:

Nico, getting his gloves on, Rachel, struggling to fix a Christmas ornament, and Thalia, who just looked at me and winked.

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**That is the end of A Christmas Carol! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and supported me, and added my story to your favourites list! I don't think that my first fanfic went so bad. Since I'm done this Christmas story, its time to move onto my second one, Home Alone. I've been busy lately with Christmas shopping. :D**

**Thank you to the people who suggested characters for Home Alone. I promise that I'll try to get the first chapter up as soon as possible!**

**Regarding the first oneshot that I posted a few days ago, thank you to the one person who reviewed! (That wasn't sarcastic). I need your opinion on if I should do other oneshots, and if yes, what I should do them on.**

**Also, the person who reviewed my oneshot said something about a beta. I'm new to FanFiction and kinda clueless, so question, what is a beta? Please respond.**

**I put this random poll up on my lame profile because i wanted to try out the polls. Anyone wanna vote?**

**Could I ask for some reviews for this last chapter? Rate and review! Thanks!**


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